DOMESTIC TRAGEDY

Evening Star, Issue 21013, 29 January 1932, Page 8

DOMESTIC TRAGEDY

WIFE CHARGED WITH MURDER WANGANUI STABBING CASE [Pee United Peess Association,.! WANGANUI, January 29. Indicted with the murder of Alfred a'iorge Donaldson on December 13, at VVanganui, Elizabeth Grace Donaldson appeared in the Police Court to-day. Stanley Annnbell, draughtsman, gave evidence regarding the measurements of the house in which the alleged crime took place. Edwin Richardson, photographer, said that on December 14, accompanied * by Detective Walsh, he took photographs of the residence. Dr J. W. Anderson said he, accompanied by two other doctors, conducted a post-mortem examination at the morgue. He found a punctured wound on deceased, IJin long, on the right side of the neck. The direction of the wound was downward and inward. There was .a small abrasion on the right of the forehead. The right external of the jugular vein was severed.' This caused death. The bread knife produced fitted the wound exactly. Dr Anderson said it would take force to make the wound in deceased’s neck. Dr J. H. Reid said he was called to the scene of the tragedy on December / 13, and found Donaldson dead. Witness said it would not have taken much violence to produce the wound in Donaldson’s neck. He had been Mrs Donaldson’s medical attendant for five years. He had attended her for illness in 1927. which was brought about by external violence. She bad been struck on the arms and legs. In January, 1931, she had been suffering from a severe haemorrhage. which Tasted for some time. She had been ill for several months. There were again bruises bn the abdomen, and also severe bruises on the buttocks. All the marks could have been caused by human agency. Hector George Brewer said he resided in a flat next door to the scene of the tragedy. About 10 p.m. on the night of the happening he heard Mrs Donaldson scream, and that first attracted his attention. He heard Mrs Donaldson call out “ Wash that knife.” From a window witness saw Donaldson stagggr out and gurgle. “My God, get a doctor.” When witness dressed and went out he found Donaldson lying in the garden. Witness went to try and pick him up, and blood poured out of. his neck, witness wrapped the. body in a blanket. While witness was in the garden he saw Mrs Kerr, Mrs Donaldson’s stepmother, wiping something in the passage. ... ' Jean Florence Brewer said she was in her kitchen at about 6.30 p.m. on ’ December. 13, when Mrs Donaldson ,• asked her if she had seen Donaldson at the beach. Witness replied “No.” Mrs Donaldson said her husband had been out since 11 o’clock in the morning. Mrs Donaldson appeared annoyed. About 10 p.m. on the same evening witness heard Mrs Donaldson exclaim, “Mother, wash that knife.”' Witness went to her kitchen window, and saw Donaldson stagger out and collapse in the front garden. Witness did not know deceased very well. Mrs Donaldson was a nice woman. Margaret Signal said she knew both Mr and Mrs Donaldson fairly well. On December 13 witness was in her kitchen at about 10 p.m. She heard a. little noise, and voices.* They came from a near-by residence. She heard a man’s voice, and then a woman’s; they appeared to be arguing. Witness 'heard a man’s voice say, “ I cannot stand much of this.” .Later a; female '.oice said ‘.‘l am not - well here for you." Witness said the , latter was spoken by Mrs Donaldson. Then witness heard a" cry, “Oh! Oh!” as if someone was hurt. She heard Mrs Donaldson rushing about, as if in - dis-i tress, and heard her exclaim: “Here, mother, take this knife.” Mrs Donaldson came to witness’s place and said; “ Oh, Mrs Signal, I have stabbed Alf. Poor Alf. I have murdered Alf ; look at my hands. Oh, Mrs Signal, X could not put up with it.” Leonard Banks said Mrs Donaldson, called out for him to come quickly. She asked' him to ring_ for a doctor, remarking “ I have, injured my husband.” He asked her what had happened, and accused replied that her husband hit her on the head and was coming at her again when she picked up a knife, and he ducked in to it and cut himself. _ x Edward John Reid said Mrs Donaldson called on him on Sunday morning and remarked that her husband had not come home that morning until the early hours. She said she would do something drastic, and threatened , to leave him., * Constable C, Smith said accused remarked to him, “ Oh, Mr Smith, this is the result of a familv quarrel.” Later she remarked, '“ Oh, my poor Alf, I do wish that he was hero again.” Detective Walsh said accused, when asked if she felt able to give particulars, remarked, “ Poor Alf, I adored the ground he walked on. H© had been out all day and did not come borne for his meals. When I asked where he had been, he would not tell me. We had a row, and he felled me to the wall. I got up and sat on a chair. Alf picked np the breadknife and threatened to-do for me. I took the knife from him and made a stab as he went out the back door. He ducked, and the knife cut him about the shoulder.”